Weighing 16kg and measuring
880mm
in an overall length and there is just no comparing optic to match this lense in
its basic spec - that
is not exaggerating to replicate a famous slogan from Saddam Hussein to quote
here, huh ? Since
most of us have not and rarely will have any chance to see this lense in its physical
form (guarantee will make your eye-brows raised straight up !), so let us don't waste
time talk about how well it can perform optically or how smooth the zooming action
is blah blah blah etc. .. but rather, simply based on its spec sheet, we will confine
the discussion on other aspects relating to its viability, possibilities, development
history and future expectation.

If you have
nothing to do and have all the time in the world to do something out of nothing or
if you have a high speed Internet access which you think is under utilized, by all
means click on the image to see an enlarged blowup
view
(93k) Jpeg.

Credit: All images
appeared in this page was originally scanned from a 1998's Nikkor Sales Guide. The
image at the top of the page has been retouched slightly to restore to colours where
I think it is supposed to be after examining the scan. Similarly, the blowup view
has also being retouched in its colour appearance.

Showcased
in 1990, this lense could also well be the most expensive optic for 35mm SLR photography
that money can buy offers by any lens/camera manufacturers. To get a rough idea how
big is this amazing super telephoto zoom lense is, probably we will need a scale
to compare its dimension. As you know prior to availability of this zoom, the longest
optic (in terms of length, not focal length) in the Nikkor lens family was used to
be the Zoom-Nikkor
360-1200mm f/11 ED
which has a 704mm physical extension. While the 360-1200mm zoom has not had an IF
(Internal Focus) design, the IF-equipped 1200-1700mm's length of 880mm can well be
considered as quite an "achievement" purely from a perspective of lens
designing. Well, while that is only referring to its length, but actually it is the
diameter of the lense that separates the two super-zooms into different league. The
360-1200mm has a lens diameter of 125mm but the 1200-1700mm lens is 237mm ! The main
factor contributes to such vast difference in their respective dimension are their
varying light gathering power. The 360-1200mm zoom's f/11 could have been designed
to provide an optimum balance between lens handling and performance so as to keep
the it physically viable to be carry around and use. But portability is perhaps not
a top priority with the 1200-1700mm lens, but rather, it was designed specifically
for performance (and/or the status to showcase Nikon's designing capability)
It has a very fast aperture of f/5.6 (1200mm) and graduates as it zooms and reaches
one f-stop slower at f/8.0 when reaching another end of its zoom range at 1700mm.
This Nikkor zoom is/was the current ^ fastest lense (as
at 2005) in its class (only comparable by Canon's FDn 800mm f/5.6L or 3rd party optic
such as Sigmas'
350-1200mm f/11 APO Tele-Zoom
as their respective "corporate status product icon)) & it will be a long
time before it will be excelled by others (even by Nikon themselves) obviously, you
don't expect it can sell very well in numbers except for big budget scientific/military/surveillance
expenditure of governmental agencies - I wouldn't entirely write off affordable individuals
too) The variable lens speed design could have aimed to make the lens slightly more
"compact" rather than adopting a design that offers a constant aperture
of f/5.6 across its entire zoom range which would have enlarging its overall dimension.

This is NOT
an AF lense. Despite it was introduced in the beginning of the '90 where other than
the Non-AF Nikon FM2n (Nikon FE10 and Nikon FM10), virtually everything produced
by Nikon amidst this period were using autofocus as the platform for their products
because that is where the users' focus, attention and revenue is. So, why not an
AF lense being produced ? Instead, Nikon has only designed a CPU chip set that enables the
lense integrates for Matrix Metering (and other workable auto-exposure control modes)
with applicable Nikon SLRs.
That essentially explained why the lens designation "Zoom-Nikkor 1200-1700mm
f/5.6~f/8.0s P ED IF" has a "P" which signifies this unique
feature. Along with the MF
Nikkor 500mm f/4.0s P ED IF
super telephoto, this Nikkor zoom was one
of the two manual focus Nikkor lenses that bear such identification and feature/function. Coming back to the
question of why not an AF version being produced ? Well, probably the only logical
explanation for this decision was laid with the prevailing AF technology at the time
during designing the lense (not referring to date of introduction, as designing and
manufacturing such a lens type may well be pushing the lens design stage a few years
backward to around 1987/8) does not permit a camera's servo motor to drive such a
long extension in its focus rotation efficiently, even if it incorporate an ingenious
IF design. Well, mind me to remind you the first AF-I Nikkor lense, 300mm f/2.8s
ED-IF with a coreless DC micro-motor built into the lens to aid camera's autofocusing
was only being introduced in 1992.

Will an AF
equivalent be introduced in the future ? A high possibility. Because the only significant
feature missing in this lense is a AF-S type of lens design to enable it to be more
practical, efficient and viable to be used responsively for shooting fast pace action
type of photography. Imagine how can all the amazingly-spec Nikon bodies of F5, F100,
D1X (H) be not using AF focus tracking and has to resort to operate manually in a
lense with only less than a 2° angle of view ? Similarly, neither any user would
be seriously considering a potential investment into such an expensive optic without
an AF function right ? Okay, since we have mentioned the "view" of the
lense, we may have a good topic for discussion here, the extreme narrow picture angle
of 2°-1°30 the lense provides, along with its massive weight and dimension
which often restrict mobility for photographers do demand some wistful thinking here
- it is not a question of whether you can afford it or not but rather can you
find some rightful subject topic to put the lense into good use. And it follows
by another question, can you handle such a super long reaching Manual Focus zoom
lense efficiently or not. If you still don't understand what I have meant here -
try using a simpler Reflex-Nikkor
500mm f/8.0s
to shoot a Formula 1 event, as race cars that can speed up to 300kph within few seconds,
the main handing problem for such kind of photography is actually the narrow angle
of view that make it so difficult to follow the action, unless you are contented
just shooting stationary scenes such as tires changing during pit-stops or at best,
anticipating those speed-demos that may reach a specific pre-focus cornering near
the track etc.... )

Update:- From: "Eduardo
Frances" <eduardofrances(AT)gmail.com>Subject:
about the Nikkor 1200mm-1700mm Hello, first of all I hope you are fine and
enjoying life!! I wanted to thank you for the Nikkor and nikon information sanctuary
you have built it has been very useful :) In Reuter´s blog there is a great
article talking about how a photographer used the Nikkor 1200-1700mm to take some
photos of the president of France during Bastilla Day Parade check it out http://blogs.reuters.com/2007/07/18/unleashing-the-beast

Kind regards, Eduar

Credit:- the photo
shown at the right hand side is link directly from Reuter Site.

This
lens is not for the ordinary. Not even professionals in their own capacity
because pros usually have the ability to adjust themselves and reverting any unfavorable
photographic situations (added the fact, most successful pros with conventional wisdom
in the profession are usually also smart in financial management). So, only large
and established media/press houses and/or governmental agencies can afford such kind
of investment (I don't entirely write off people who has nothing to do such as those
superrich individual(s) who may be curiously want to record on film on board his
private yacht who is with his recent "identified target(s)" on another
yacht a mile away from his etc...). Joke aside, some proper applications of this
spectacular super-tele zoom could be on scientific research, wildlife observations,
solar or lunar photography, surveillance, headlined political events, major international
sport meets and other kinds of situation where they are inaccessible for photographers
to close in during shooting such as reporting for rocket launching, rioting, air
strike bombing in a possible war (again ?) etc.

A little
off-the-topic:
Err... come to think of it, other than NASA, I think some selective privileged agencies
like the CIA and MI-5 might be the biggest fans of Nikon and probably may have a
few dozen of these in their possession, the KGB might not have any because budget
for the agency is probably being deferred; as for the rich individual pros who wants
to bring the lense on the field, he might need a jeep but it is advisable confine
to shoot wildlife such as rhinos, lions, endangered species of birds, yaks or the
kangaroos... well, don't even think of bringing the camouflaged jeep near a war zone,
because the mobile-rocket launcher-look appearance of the lense and the focusing
action of the photographer may invite some hostile return artillery fire from nowhere,
hehe...

Well, this the the last section on the featured Nikkor zooms series - can afford
to exhale a little of my dampened and compressed spirit within while ready to inhale
some O2 to stay awake before
switching to the PC-Nikkor sections next... -leofoo®- 23/02/2003

The shortest
distance the lense can focus close-in is 10m (35 ft.). Although not entirely impressive
in figures but neither this lense is designed to taking close-up facial expression
pictures (you might as well buy a telephoto or a Reflex-Nikkor 2000mm f/11s lense and save yourself
a couple of ten thousand). Although in theory, the use of a Tele-Extender(s) may able to shorten
its minimum focusing distance, but Nikon has not specified any compatible TC devices
for such purpose. So don't be a hero to play around with this expensive optic even
if you can afford to do so. The rear lens mount of the lense is equipped with a series
of pins/contacts which almost looks like AF contacts (primarily for relaying data
via chipset on lense section with the circuitry on camera section). This native Ai-S
lense has also provided with ADR scales for direct viewing of picture taking aperture
and full aperture metering/viewing/composing of pictures is possible with any applicable
Nikon bodies. Naturally, although it is a high speed super telephoto zoom but logically
other photographic operational measures such as choice of the right focusing screens
and selection of high speed film types and more importantly, an ultra-steady tripod
setup during shooting is a MUST to accommodate its Extra-ordinary weight, these may
be able help in ensuring minimize any changes of spoilt images arising from possible
shaky movement on camera/lens/slow-shutter-speeds during shooting.

The technical
highlights of this incredibly unique and powerful Nikkor tele-zoom can be summarized
as follows (Note: This optic is on a specialorder-to-produce basis):

The optical
design is comprised of a 18 elements in 13 groups (3 x EDs) optical formulation with
an Internal focus design. Extremely narrow angle of view from 2°-1°30; it
focuses down to 10m (35 ft.) and two focusing/distance indexes are provided, orange
(1700mm) and green (1200mm). Full aperture viewing and metering is possible but meter
coupling ridge is NOT provided on the lense. Its CPU design to integrate for Matrix Metering
and various auto-exposure modes with all applicable Nikon SLRs. It uses 52mm slide-in filters
(L37C supplied) via a filter holder at mid section. Lens hood is a built-in type.
It weighs a massive 16,000g (approx. 36 Ibs) and measures 237mm in dia. and a length
of 880mm (overall) without lens hood extension. Tripod mounting is via socket in
a fixed tripod mounting collar, carrying by a fixed rigid handle built-in on top
of the lense. With the inclusion of this powerful zoom in the Nikkor lens family,
Nikon can safely claim its system now has the most comprehensive selection of lenses
in the widest of picture angle (MF Nikkor 6mm f/2.8s), longest reach in
focal length with the MF
Reflex-Nikkor 2000mmand
now, the most powerful zoom lense for 35mm photography.

Credit: A reference chart for Ai-P Nikkor lenses in various exposure modes
and metering systems with a typical modern Nikon SLRs such as Nikon F5. For other
models, please referred to Nikon (congratulation to your potential ownership... if
you are dead serious about asking them).

Credit: MCLau®, who has helped to rewrite
some of the content appeared this site. Chuck Hester® who has been helping
me all along with the development of all these Nikon websites;LarsHolst Hansen, 'Hawkeye'
who shares the same passion I have; Ms Rissa, Sales manager
from Nikon Corporation Malaysia for granting permission to use some of the official
content; TedWengelaar,Holland
who
has helped to provide many useful input relating to older Nikkor lenses; Some of the references
on production serial numbers used in this site were extracted from Roland Vink's website; HiuraShinsaku from Nikomat
Club Japan. Lastly,
to all the good people who has contributed their own expeience, resources or kind
enough granted permission to use their images of their respective optic in this site.
It is also a site to remember a long
lost friend
on the Net.Note:certain content and
images appeared in this site were either scanned from official marketing leaflets
& brochures published by Nikon and/or contribution from surfers who claimed originality
of their work for educational purposes. The creator of the site will not be responsible
for may discrepancies arise from such dispute except rectifying them after verification."Nikon", "Nikkormat", "Nippon Kokagu
KK"
& "Nikkor" are registered
tradename of Nikon Corporation Inc., Japan. Site made with an Apple IMac.